The Dragon of Greenwood Forest
by Koinu-sama
Summary: Just a trial so far. As it turns out, Smaug is not the last of his kind.
1. Chapter 1

_The first moments of her life had been spent stumbling about alone and frightened in the dark, crying helplessly for a mother that did not come. And even in the presence of a young elf boy who stumbled upon her in the wood, she cowered away in fear. Others of her kin might have eaten the elfling whom was not even half her size, but she possessed neither their hostility nor their ferocity. No, a gentler spirit resided within her trembling body.  
_

_And so the oddity of their companionship had begun, for years she remained in those woods, hidden from the world, knowing only the friendship of that sole boy, and she felt naught but happiness. _

_He cherished her above all else, for every day he would return. He would read to her, sing to her, talk to her. Her very world revolved around him, listening with her head resting on her forelegs as he spoke of banquets and dancing, of kings, soldiers, battles of old, fair maidens, and of love. _

_She remembered the first time she had seen the fair-maiden stumble giggling into the thicket, how her eyes had lit up in wonder as her love shared his most precious secret. _

_The days that followed were bliss, for she had made a new friend, and to see the boy, now a man so happy...her heart had never known such joy._

_But as with all good things, they came to an end. Days became weeks, weeks became months, and months became years, and still she waited. It was a quiet afternoon, the clouds above heavy and dark with rain. The fair maiden had come into the thicket, her lovely features distorted with a pain of the heart. _

_Her dear friend was dead, and his love weeping, fled. _

_So deep was her grief, that slumber took her in waiting arms, and the trees embraced her. Such was the dragon of greenwood forest._

**...**

**I've been really into Hobbit fan fiction lately, and I wanted to try one of my own. This is just a trial prologue, to see what people think. I am entirely open to suggestions as to if this story should continue, and where it should go if it does. I thought it might be interesting to have Smaug not be the last of his kind :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Many years passed, and the forest became but a shadow of its former self, poisoned by the darkness that seeped into the very soil. Giant spiders spread their webs through the boughs of the trees, forcing the once carefree woodland elves to seek refuge in the halls of their king, for the wicked creatures devoured any and all who were unfortunate enough to encounter them.

It was a time that all lived in ignorance of the creature that slept as one with the forest.

_That is, except for one._

From the day he first entered the world, his mother had spun tales of a golden dragon in the wood. His father had denounced such stories, his pale eyes flashing like ice, and his words heavy laden with contempt. "_Dragons are foul creatures, composed of naught but greed and hate."_

But Legolas cared not, for in those precious moments with his mother...he was spellbound.

Her death carved the very heart out of Greenwood, felled by the those that lurked in darkness. In the days that followed, the king was never quite the same.

The air in the elven halls seemed to grow colder in the absence of its queen, and so it was that Greenwood became known as Mirkwood.

Times grew darker still, as a beast laid waste to cities of men and dwarves in the northeast.

A grieving king had looked on as a massacre unfolded before him, but he had already lost too much...and so he turned away from those who cried for his aide.

But the crown prince knew that this was not what his mother would have wanted, for he had inherited her noble heart. A young elf could do nothing against a dragon alone, but he had his mother's stories. His father believed them fables, but Legolas was not so sure. If Gli the gold really did exist somewhere within the forest, he would find her, and he would plead for her help.

Years came and went, and soon Legolas' daily searches became less and less frequent until he ceased altogether. His mind turned to other things, and soon, the dragon of the wood became all but forgotten.

...

Legolas' heart pounded within his chest as he faced what may be his death. Patrol had gone terribly wrong when they had been surrounded on all sides by giant spiders. They had fought well at first, but never before had they been attacked in such numbers nor with such ferocity, his companions were slowly picked off one by one until he was the last one standing. He was surrounded on all sides...he was out of arrows, and out of options. As the spiders prepared to lunge, desperate and defenseless, Legolas grasped for his last strand of hope. "GLI!" he shouted with all of his might.

For a moment the world seemed to hold its breath, and as quickly as the spiders had come upon them, they fled. The very earth shifted beneath his feet, falling away as the creature beneath it stirred. A great tail swept across the forest floor, the trees toppling under its strength.

Legolas felt no relief as he found himself facing a threat far greater than a spider could ever be. He had never seen a dragon so close, trees groaned as they were uprooted from their coils about the beast. As the dirt fell away, he found himself on the very hide of the beast itself, one glittering scale the size of his head. Legolas watched in awe as the dragon lifted its head on its long serpentine neck, and he was met with eyes the color of spring leaves.

"It has been so long since I have heard that name."

The dragon's voice washed over Legolas like water, smooth and deep with power.

"There are only two that know of it, and one of them is dead. How did one such as yourself hear of it?"

Legolas swallowed hard as he summoned his courage. "My mother told me of a dragon who slumbered in this forest, mourning the loss of an elf companion."

"Ah, the fair Anvanya, yes...I do remember. The resemblance is undeniable, how is she?"

Legolas tried to rid himself of the lump that rose in his throat, the pain of her passing still fresh in his heart. "She has passed from this world."

The dragon let out a mournful sigh, his expression had answered her question before his words. "The world will grieve the loss of her light." Again her eyes met those of the young elf. "Though I suspect that is not why you have sought me out."

"A great fire drake has laid waste to cities of dwarves and men...and all has been left in death and ruin. The likes of men and elves pale in the face of such monstrosity...but another dragon..."

"Your heart is noble, little elf, but I am no champion of elves...nor of dwarves. Their home has been uprooted beneath them, and honour bound if they wish to retrieve it, then they must do so under their own power."

"But he has slaughtered countless people, and those in the shadow of his mountain live their lives in fear!"

"You speak as if other races have not done the same. Wars are painted with courage and honour, but still the rivers run red with blood. Tyrants lay civilization low, and thieves rob the innocent...is it not the nature of every living thing to take what it wants? If they cannot keep what they hold most dear, then they do do not deserve to have it."

"But is it not the duty of the strong to protect those who cannot protect themselves?"

The dragon was silent for a moment, before she smiled. "You are very much like your mother, little elf. Go to your companions, I can hear their trembling pulses, they await your rescue."


	3. Chapter 3

Legolas did as the dragon bid him, she seemed to be pondering his words and that was enough. He had not expected persuading her to be easy, even if she was gentler than others of her kin, dragons were unpredictable creatures. He made his way into the forest to find those who had been captured by the spiders, all the while keeping his gaze fixed over his shoulder.

He watched as she moved, moving about in the area of forest she had levelled in her enormity. Such a creature would not go unnoticed, and suddenly his task became of utmost importance. He spurred his legs to move faster, the wind of Gli's wing beats on his heels.

...

Gli flew low, the trees nearly brushing her belly as she sought to keep out of sight. Dragons were a rarity, for even she had never encountered another of her kind, she had hatched in the forest and had made it her domain, never wandering far. The moment she had taken to the sky she had seen her destination, and her large heart could not help but race. She was not sure what she would do once she reached the face of the mountain, but she was sure a fight was inevitable.

...

Smaug felt the impact more than he heard it, his gold coins clinking together as the very foundation rumbled. He lifted his head from his golden bed, his three lids blinking in confusion as he listened for the noise again. No man, elfkind or mortal was capable of making such a sound. He did not hear it again, and residing somewhere between irked and curious, he went to investigate.

He had laid siege to this mountain over one hundred years ago, and had not been disturbed since. His bulk made its way through the familiar corridors of his home easily, seeking out the sole entrance that he had not blocked off. He scented the air, yet no scent that met his nostrils gave a clue as to what he was facing. Had a boulder fallen loose? The notion was preposterous, for a being so great as he to be set on edge by a mere falling rock. No, something else was waiting for him outside of these halls.

He burst forth into the sky, and immediately something caught his eye. It was as if an intricate golden statue had been given life, scales glittering like thousands of gold coins. _  
_

It was a struggle to contain his surprise, it had been an age since he had seen another of his kin, and even longer since he had seen a female. She had a long and slender body, and small ivory horns that curved out at the junction of her neck.. Her wings were creamy and untarnished...it was obvious to him that she was young, and Smaug could not help but find her beautiful.

It was in a male dragon's nature to gather treasure, to build a lair...or a nest depending on how one looked at it, while females wandered until they settled with a mate. Females were far smaller and far less fierce than their male counterparts, and as such, had a tendency to get themselves slain.

Smaug was suddenly very aware of how precious this surprise visitor was, and he had the sudden very strong urge to stow her away deep within his lair where he could keep her safe. And it was an urge he acted upon.

...

Gli stared at the beast that circled her lazily, unsure of what to do with herself. She had not been foolish enough to enter his lair, and had so pushed a boulder loose to attract his attention. He was far larger than she had anticipated, nearly twice her size...and she could tell from the muscles that rippled beneath his red hide, that he was far stronger too. She was very concerned that she had picked a fight larger than she could manage, though his actions toward her were not hostile...yet. And there was a part of her that balked at the idea of fighting him, not only because a fight between them would ultimately result in death (hers), but also because she found herself oddly attracted to this beast, if only on a base level.

...

Smaug nearly purred in delight as he coiled himself about the newest addition to his horde, her lithe body body pinned beneath his bulk, his tail wrapped intimately around hers. Her neck rested in the curve of his own, and he relished in the feel of her. The spikes that lined her spine folded back like that of a fish, causing him no discomfort as sleep threatened to claim him. Getting her into this position had been and amusing affair, the little vixen deciding at the last second she wanted to leave. He had already decided that she belonged to him, so he wasn't about to let her escape. She had taken to flight as he attempted to pounce upon her, causing him to miss his target, though not before he had managed to seize the end of her tail in his jaws, though not hard enough to do any damage, her tough hide protecting her from the brunt of his bite. She had shrieked in fury and attempted to shake him, to claw at his face to get him to let go...though it was fruitless. He had all but dragged her towards the entrance of his lair and had forced her inside, only to block her escape with his bulk.

Like a petulant wyrmling she had curled up in a spot far away from him, though he had not missed her surprised expression upon seeing his treasure. She had masked her astonishment quickly, but already his ego had received a substantial stroke. And in his arrogance, he had laid down right on top of the female.

...

Gli could barely think straight, her mind riveted to the current predicament that was their tails. She had tried on several occasions to get hers free, but every attempt only made his tail coil tighter, causing an involuntary shiver to course through her large frame. All of these sensations were new to her, her tail having been but a simple appendage up until now...and it made her sick to realize that Smaug had noticed. She dared not make eye contact with him, her head turned sharply away from him. He shifted his body to gauge her reactions, and Gli could only endure from her immobilized spot beneath him.

When she had spoken to the little elf in the forest, this was certainly not the outcome she had anticipated. It was, frankly, humiliating. In a fit of irritation, she struck out at Smaug's neck with the deadly speed of a snake...a growl rumbling in her throat.


End file.
